Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli Bake

February 25, 2015

The first time I had ravioli I likened them to fluffy meaty pillows. They’re so much fun! So today we’re going to have ravioli in a pasta bake of sorts, smothered in rich, creamy Alfredo sauce and layered with a spinach and artichoke pesto mix.

Oh and there’s cheese. A six Italian cheese blend of mozzarella, smoked provolone, romano, fontina, asiago and Parmesan cheese. And don’t be put off by all the fancy names, you can find a packet of this pre-mixed shredded cheese right in the dairy section of a grocery store. No need to visit the deli aisle!

What’s great about this is despite sounding like a lot of work, it really isn’t. Most of the stuff can be bought pre-made. From frozen ravioli, jarred Alfredo sauce (although I’ve included how to make Alfredo sauce from scratch in the notes) and artichoke hearts in a can that just need some dicing. Really easy.

I let the frozen ravioli thaw out a little to separate easier. Some of them clumped up together so it was necessary. As a precaution, since spinach has a high water content and I didn’t want my bake watery, I sauteed them over the stove top till they cooked down. Not much to it. Saucepan, some heat and some baby spinach. You can choose to chop your spinach or leave them as is.

It turned out my fears were unfounded as there was very little water released. So you could opt to cook them down or use them as is. The spinach is then mixed with chopped artichoke hearts and some pesto. This part is pretty simple.

Water down the Alfredo sauce a little with some broth, vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian or chicken broth for those who don’t mind. It’s so the sauce can spread easier in the casserole. Then it’s layering time!

Sauce, spinach mix, ravioli. Rinse and repeat once more and top with a final layer of Alfredo sauce. Bake for 30 minutes then cover with all that cheese I mentioned earlier and broil until melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Farah, I just wanted you to know that your recipes are fabulous! I am a passionate home chef, and just love the creativity, and ease of your delicious recipes. I have made a few of your dishes (including this one ) for my family, and they have been “keepers” (according to my crew). It’s a pleasure to read your blog, and I look forward to each and every post!

Thank you Dawn. This is such a heart-warming comment. I can’t take full credit for every single recipe on my blog since I’ve been inspired by so many others but I do try to put my spin on them or taste test them and test drive the execution for everyone in a manner of speaking. And if there’s anything I figure that’s hard, I include pics to hopefully make it easier to do. I’ve made many, many mistakes which I mention so people can learn from them, from one home cook to another! In short, I try to make home cooking approachable 🙂

Made this last night right after receiving it in my inbox. Too good to pass up. Such a easy meal and truly delicious! Only thing I did differently was add sautéed onions to the Alfredo homemade sauce. Will be making this again!

Thanks for trying it out and letting me know how you liked it, Yana! Love how you managed to customize it. If I were to add anything, it might be a Portobello mushroom layer since I love those so much!

The funny thing is I saw this exact recipe on another website a while back and made it last week. Of course I made some changes. I had a package of an artichoke ravioli and a jar of artichoke and lemon pesto, so that’s what I used. Depending on what kind of ravioli I find next, I may use a pistachio-mint pesto or for pumpkin or butternut squash ravioli, a sage and pecan pesto would be lovely.

There’s a lot of overlap in the recipe world so I wouldn’t be surprised! I modified this recipe slightly from Betty Crocker so maybe that’s where you saw it? That pistachio-mint pesto sounds heavenly! Pistachios are one of my favorite things. I’ve only managed to find regular pesto so far!

Both the Pistachio-Mint and Artichoke pesto are made by a company called Bella Cucina Artful Food out of Atlanta, Georgia. I have a book on making different pestos and have made a cilantro- lime pesto and want to try developing my own sage-pecan with browned butter pesto.

Tried this tonight, and it was delicious! Only about 500 cal/serving, and tasted much more sinful. 🙂 Would be great if you’re hosting a vegetarian. Next time, I might try adding red peppers and a hint of cayenne to the sauce. We will def. make this again.

I made this tonight and it’s really good. I made it as directed but used a 9×9 in pan because it’s only my husband and me. I used all ingredients Just less of the ravioli to fill the pan. We are so bad, we Just about finished it off! I would make this again as is or with any or all of the Suggestions from others. Thanks it’s a keeper.

That’s wonderful to hear! I think the hubs and I took a few days to finish off the 9×13 version and he did most of the finishing 😉 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you and enjoy it the next time you make it!

I did this but added baby bella mushrooms and asparagus to the layers because I just find everything is better with mushrooms and asparagus. Oh my. It’s SO GOOD. I think I may try it tomorrow with a little crab thrown in rather than the asparagus…or with. Not sure yet. 🙂
I had made it for lunch because I eat primarily vegetarian and the girls at work were just looking at me with envy and awe because it looked and smelled so amazing. And so EASY! I shared your recipe and your website with a few!
Thank you!

Oh you added portobello mushrooms! I suggested it in one of the comments but never actually tried it so It’s good to know the flavors played well together. Having a great lunch to show off at work is always fun 🙂 You get to strut back to your desk after heating it up. And thanks for sharing my blog! I hope your co-workers find something they like.

Thanks Kylee! I always get a little nervous when folks ask about freezing things because I don’t do much of that in my house so I hate to give out inexperienced advice. That being said, I took another look at the ingredients and they all look freezable separately so theoretically I think you can. If you end up doing it, can you let us know your results? The only thing I would caution is to let it thaw properly before cooking it up so the Alfredo sauce doesn’t break. Alfredo is notorious for breaking and the butter separating into an oily mess when reheated.

We’ve only tried two brands so far, Bertolli and Ragu. Out of the two, we prefer Ragu. But there are many other brands out there we haven’t tried yet, so please feel free experiment. I’m by no means a jarred Alfredo sauce expert 🙂 If you do, let us know which you think is the best?

Same here. I just made it and it was literally swimming in oil. I dumped most, but even after I started cutting into it, more poured out. The Alfredo seemed a bit thin compared to any I’ve made, so that may have been the issue not sure. I think I should’ve left out the broth.

Sorry to hear that, Cassie! Did you make the Alfredo sauce from scratch based on the notes in this recipe or did you use jarred Alfredo sauce? The only thing that would make it oily is the butter separating from the sauce and Alfredo sauce is known to separate or break down on high heat. Kinda like taking home some Alfredo pasta from the restaurants and heating leftovers in the microwave. You’ll notice a lot of grease from the butter separating then.

Do you not cook the frozen ravioli first? I want to make this dish but I have refrigerated ravioli. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to cook them first or if they just cook themselves while the dish cooks.

I grew up in an Italian family where pasta Sunday’s are our weekly tradition. I found this recipe the other day while searching for a new pasta dish that wasn’t my typical spaghetti and meatballs, baked ziti, lasagna, etc. Let me tell you, this was THE BEST DISH I’VE EVER MADE! I followed it just like the directions said, and my boyfriend and I ate almost ALL of it! I had to put it away for leftovers because I knew we’d eat the whole thing. As my boyfriend was shoveling his 3rd helping into his mouth he said, “This needs to be on the menu at Carrabba’s.” WHAT A COMPLIMENT! This dish was warm and gooey and tasty and had the perfect melt in your mouth comfort feel. I literally felt like a gourmet chef when I was done eating myself into a food coma. Will definitely be making this again! – PS, it pairs great with a large glass of red wine! 🙂

🙂 🙂 🙂 Well let me say thanks a bunch for making me grin like a lunatic and laugh semi-evilly at the Carrabba’s comment. But seriously, you feeling like a gourmet chef is what makes me happy. Spreading joy in the kitchen and food comas everywhere! 🙂

Ooof, well let’s see. It definitely can’t be in casserole form in the stove top so I would say you can mix it all up in a pot. You just won’t have the layers and the golden cheesy top. Think of it more like a variation of fettuccine Alfredo. I would suggest when you do it on the stove to put in the spinach last so it doesn’t toughen up too much. So make or heat up the Alfredo sauce, toss in the ravioli and let it cook till al dente in it, add the pesto, artichoke hearts and simmer for awhile. If the Alfredo sauce is too thick, thin it with the broth, otherwise toss in the spinach last and mix it all up. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese!

Sounds wonderful! I would like to take this to my family Christmas dinner…but I have a 2 hour drive on Christmas day. Could I assemble this the day before, refrigerate, then bake it when I get there? Or, should I bake it the day before, refrigerate, then reheat? Help! I really want to take this! Someone else is making lasagna and I think this would be another nice option.

The kids and I were looking for something other than ham, turkey or roast beef for Christmas dinner, besides my daughter is vegetarian. We also made this using the mushroom ravioli. This is a keeper!!! It was so good, I felt guilty eating it. We didn’t broil it at the end, we just baked it a little longer. It browned up nicely. I bought some fancy turkey/spinach/asiago sausages for us carnivores as a side. FYI, it goes well with a nice pinot grigio. It made our Christmas memorable!!!! You are a peach. Thanks!!!

Thanks for making my Christmas memorable with this comment! I really enjoyed reading it out loud to the hubs. Having a little mushroom ravioli envy, haven’t seen them in regular grocery stores so I guess it must be one of those special store items.

I made made this last night. Wow what it good. The only change I made was, using broccoli/onions instead of spinach because my mom is on dialysis and can’t have broccoli. This is gonna be a regular meal at my house. So happy for finding another vegetarian recipe the whole family can enjoy, being that I’m the only vegetarian.

I had never used pesto before. I was nervous after smelling such a strong basil fragrance. But omg. It was delish. And I think the pesto makes the dish. The flavor was amazing. I found the recipe on Alex Mandel’s Vlog (from 1-3-16).

Wow. I went and found the video and it was seriously amazing watching someone’s expression while they tried out one of the recipes. Thanks for giving me that by letting me know where you came from! It was a totally new blogging experience for me.

Maybe an hour? Then wrap it up in foil and keep it in the oven to keep it warm until they get there? Depending on if you made Alfredo sauce from scratch, heating up in the microwave might break down the sauce and separate the butter. Homemade Alfredo tends to do that but the jarred stuff doesn’t.

Oh, you mean pre-making it before baking it! You can do that for a couple hours and keep it refrigerated and covered until then. Just make sure to check it’s all hot and cooked to account for the time it spent in the fridge. But honestly, it shouldn’t make that much a difference since we usually use frozen ravioli to begin with. Hope this helps!

I recently made this dish for a large dinner hosting 75 people as part of a buffet. I assembled the dish th day before so the ravioli was thawed . I cooked it covered for 45 minutes then unconverted it and put the cheese on at a higher temp As stated in the recipe. I also put some of that cheese between the layers.
I make my own Alfredo sauce. It’s easy enough. It’s basically butter heavy cream parm. Everyone raved! It was dang good! Thanks for the recipe!

I made this for dinner last night, and it was so good! my husband and I ate half of the 13×9 pan of it lol. I didn’t even chop the spinach i just left it in its whole leaf. Very good and I am excited to try the other recipes on this website. I love how all the recipes are simple it makes it easier for me since i have a 30 min commute from work to home. Thanks Farah!

That’s what I’m aiming for, Jennifer. A mix of simple and relatively simple recipes for those new to cooking or short on time but just want to enjoy a good home-cooked meal. Glad I’m heading in the right direction!

Never heard of that one before! Pesto is made up of garlic, pine nuts (or substituted nuts because pine nuts are expensive), Parmesan cheese, olive oil and basil. None of these have adverse toxic reactions to heat.

Hey! I made this and I often make my ravioli, pesto and Alfredo from scratch but no time. So ice frozen three cheese ravioli, fresh spinach, frozen fresh artichokes, store-bought pesto, and I added a rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone and shredded in my layers. And for the Alfredo sauce I did not have the ingredients to make it from scratch so I used boursin cheese and milk and homemade vegetable stock. I used shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top and Parmesan. My husband does not like spinach or artichokes but I surprised him with this and he absolutely loved it!

Wow, way to go working your way around substitutions for the Alfredo sauce! The great thing about the recipe is you can make it as complicated and homemade as you like, or as easy as just buying pre-made stuff from the store and mixing it all together. I’m happy you guys enjoyed it!

Hello Farah. I made this a couple months ago and everyone loved it! I’m planning to make it again this weekend and I was wondering if I could prepare it the day before and keep it refrigerated uncooked until the next day. Will that work, or would it get too mushy? Or should I fully cook it then refrigerate? Any thoughts you have would be appreciated. Thanks!

Heya Nicole! I don’t think it will get to mushy. Ravioli is dense enough that it should hold its own. I’ve had Lori ask me about this before in the comments and I suggested to refrigerate uncooked and then bake the next day. I’m not sure what the results were but I still recommend this. If you do it, please let us know the results?

If you decide to cook it the day before, I recommend not adding the top cheese layer till after it’s reheated it and broil it as usual so it doesn’t brown too much. Reheating the whole casserole with cheese covered with foil might make the top layer rubbery. Hope this helps!

Great recipe. I make my own pesto sauce so even better. If one can get their hands on fresh artichoke you will create one serious masterpiece. Even without those ingredients still very much on target and delicious..

I just finished making from scratch, a huge pot of marinara. sauce. Since we like marinara a little better than straight alfredo, have you ever tried mixing the two sauces to make a light marinara alfredo for this rcipe?

Made this on Friday and it was great! I used jarred Alfredo sauce just to save some time. I loved that it was easy to assemble and dinner was ready in no time. My husband even at the leftovers for breakfast!

This recipe is amazing. I have made it 4 or 5 times now, two were for dinner parties and everyone loved it! I don’t like the taste of jarred alfredo sauces so I use the refrigerated Buitoni fresh alfredo sauce. Not cheap but so much better than anything I have tried in a jar. This is such an easy recipe, just combine ingredients and layer! I add the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan in the beginning and just let it cook, I love broiling the top, so pretty! I have never had a problem with this being oily, I think you are right that homemade alfredo would cause that. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe! I will add fresh cracked black pepper to the alfredo and a pinch of crushed red pepper to the spinach mixture next time just to try something new! Keep up the great work on your blog! Thanks again!

Thank you for the suggestion Crissy! I didn’t even know fresh Alfredo sauce existed in grocery stores. After some research I found it available in the cheese aisle at the one I go to. I’m going to try it out one of these days and see how it fares against jarred Alfredo. You’re right about it not being that great, but I’ve never found a better alternative other than making it from scratch.

Finally got around to making this and it turned out delish. I used a jar of Alfredo sauce, so it didn’t need the chicken broth for thinning. I also didn’t cook down the spinach and it wasn’t watery at all. My husband loved it!

I made this recipe many many times and my family has enjoyed it. I plan on making 2 batches today and was wondering if one of the batches will freeze well for a week? Have you ever pre-made this recipe for a later date?